IRANIANS VIEWS ON DANISH CARTOON CONTROVERSY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000701 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2016 TAGS: IR PGOV PINR PREL TU SUBJECT: IRANIANS VIEWS ON DANISH CARTOON CONTROVERSY Classified By: DCM NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Iranian visa applicants shared their views on demonstrations in Tehran related to the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. While most suggested that the Iranian government is sponsoring the demonstrations, they also revealed a belief in a conspiracy theory involving collusion between Iranian Christians and foreign governments. End Summary. Demonstrations Well Publicized and Probably Organized -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) According to the Iranians we talked with, the Iranian government was explicitly linking the cartoon protests to the anniversary of the 1979 revolution. A middle-aged woman said the state was encouraging citizens &to live out the spirit of the revolution8 on its anniversary, February 11, by protesting against Denmark. An older man noted that the state-run news agencies were portraying the cartoon as a typical example of the Christian West's disregard for Islam, and consequently, all Muslims. Another woman confirmed that there were advertisements on television encouraging Iranians to protest. One businessman claimed that "the government is trying to link the cartoon to its nuclear issue." ¶3. (C) Our contacts indicated the demonstrations are limited to Tehran, and, according to one university student, almost certainly organized in some way by the Iranian government, probably with the active participation of the Basij. The student told us that his grandfather lives in the ground floor of the building that also houses the Austrian Embassy in Tehran. He said that his grandfather told him the building had been stoned by a crowd of protestors who had also torched part of the building, but no one was hurt in this incident. Others who live outside of the capital told us that they received news of the Tehran demonstrations via Iranian state television news and/or CNN. People from these outlying areas confirmed that protests did not occur in their towns and that the state television broadcasts only protest scenes from Tehran. When asked why there hadn,t been protests in her town, one middle-aged woman opined that Tehran &is a very political city.8 Conspiracy Theory -------------- ¶4. (C) Despite claiming to be skeptical of news from the government, three different individuals referred to a Christian / Danish conspiracy behind the violence in Tehran. When we asked a wealthy surgeon who had been educated in Germany what his thoughts on the Danish cartoon were, he explained, "Those Christians!" He was upset that &a minority of Christians were trying to stir up problems for Iran.8 A woman also said that the protests were the fault of Christians. We asked why Christians would be upset about a cartoon that depicted the Prophet Mohammad. She explained that she had heard that a small group of Christians were using violence to cause trouble in Iran because Christians would be able to claim religious persecution in Iran and be able to have more attention brought to them. She further explained that the Danish government was cooperating with Christians in Iran to organize these protests. ¶5. (C) The individuals with whom we spoke seemed largely apolitical. Several of them lamented that the protests would cause Iran's relations with the West to worsen. Their views of Denmark and Danes were favorable, although they were disappointed with this controversy. One middle-aged man sided with the Danish newspaper and said that he wished Iran had free speech. Another man said that although the government tells people to protest, most Iranians do not want to; however, those who disagree with the government have no power, so they cannot publicly disagree with the government. "Like everyone else," he said, "we just want freedom." WILSON